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S. E. DIESCHER. ET AL FEEDING SHEETS Filed July 16, 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 11A Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,662,492 PATENT.OFF1CE.

SAHUEL E. DIESCHEB .AND .AUGUST P. DIESCHEB, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNBS TO S. DIESCHEP, & SONS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A PALM SHIP CONSISTING OF SIUEL E. DIESCHER ANI) AUGUST Pi DIESCHEE.

PEEDING SHEETS.

Application nieu July is,

l The invention described herein relates to certain .improvementsl in mechanism for feeding-sheets one by one from a plle or pack, the improvement being especially adapted to the feeding of metal sheets to tin ots. p In the manufacture of tinned sheets, the iron or steel blades, after being rolled to gauge, are subjected to what is known as 19 white pickling for the removal of all scale or other foreign matter, and to producesurfaces to.ywhich the tin will adhere. After picklin the sheets are washed to remove all aci from their surface and are kept submerged in water until fed into the tinning machine to prevent oxidation. In washing, a large number of sheets are arranged on edge and so supported that the sheets may be slightly 'separated when moved up and down in the water. In the washing all air is driven from between the sheets with the result that when sheets are placed in packs the wet surfaces of adjoining sheets will adhere so that great care must be taken, even when sheets are fed to the tinning machine by hand, to avoid feeding two sheets at the Sametime. It is largelythis adherence of adjoining sheets that has rendered automatic feeding of sheets commercially impracticable. It is characteristic of mechanisms heretofore suggested for feeding sheets, that the top or outer sheet of the pac was slid'along the next lower'or adjoining sliet, or the entire sheet was lifted away y, from the pile. In neither of these methods was any break of the bond between the top or outer sheet and the next sheet, due to suction, in any way destroyed, and it frequently happened that one or morel sheets would be 4o moved"with thei top, or outer Sheet.

The inventionl described herein has for its object the vertical movement of one end or edgeof a top sheet away from the adjacent sheet, such initial movement being followed by a sliding' movement of the top, or outer sheet, and progressive separation of the nnderly-ing or next adjoining sheet. The invention is hereinafter more fully described' and claimed.

vIn the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sheet feeding lmechanism embodying the improvements claimed herein; Fig. 2 1s a sectional elevation of the same;

. the machine;

1923. seria! ne. 651,960. y

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverselsections in a 55 plane respective] indicated by the lines II-III, and I -,IV, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is` a plan view; Fi' 5a is a sectional plan view of ig. 5 is a plan view showing a preferred arrangement of suckers on the l0 drum; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an e'nlarged scale showing parts directly operative on the sheets; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view, theplane of section being indicated by the line VII-VII, Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a top'll plan view of the abutment for determining the position of a pile of sheets in the supporting platen; Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional elevations of the abutment, the planes of sec# tion being indicated respectively by th'e lines 70 Dir-IX and X--X, Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the overflow for the tank; Fig. 12 is a detail view illustrating an adjustment of the fingers employed for guiding sheets as they are moved one by one from 7F the pile to the feed rolls; Fig. 13 is a Seetional view on a plane indicated byV the line XIII-XIII., Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a detail view illustrating a modification of Ithe manner of employing the guide lingers; Figs. 15, 15` and 16 are sectional detail views' showing a cup or sucker entering the liquid in which a pile of sheets are submerged and also showing the leaka e perforation; also showing the manner o? regulatin the degree of'h vacuum in the cups by regu ating the level of water in the tank; in Fig. 16 a cup or sucker is shown having its edge roughened or notched for the circulation of air to the cup; Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are diagrammatic 90 yviews illustrating successive steps in lifting and advancing a sheet; Fig. 20 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modification of the lifting and feeding drum; Fig. 21 is a transverse section of the drum shown in Fig. 20; 95 and Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fi 21 illustrating a further modification of s lifting and feeding drum.

In the practice of the invention, a vertically movable platen 1 is arranged in a. tank 100. 2 located `when the mechanism is employed for feeding sheets to a. tinning machine, im'- niediately infront of the latter- In the construction shown herein the laten is provid-'- ed. with aide plates 8 suspen ed from a shaft 10,8l

4 which is extended through guide blcks 5 and lifting bars 6. The blocks 5 are arranged in vertical slots 7 in side frames 8 of ltl the machine. The upper ends of the lifting bars 6 are connected to one end of levers 9 pivotally mounted on posts 10 and having counterweights 11 adjustably mounted on the portions extending beyond the posts so as to exert an upward pull on the lifting bars and platen. A shaft 12 mounted on suitable bearings below the tank is provided with arms 13 having weights 14.- adjustably mounted thereon and to the shaft is secured treadles 15 through which pass a bar 16 adapted to be connected to the lower ends of the lifting bars by links 17, so that by depressing the treadle the platen will be moved down to permit of the placing of a pile of sheets in position to be fed 'to the tin pot as hereinafter described. The weights 11 and 14 are employed for counterbalancing the platen and the parts movable therewith. The upward movement of the platen and the sheets carried thereby is effected by means automatically variable as regards liftin power, as sheets are removed from the p aten. As shown in Fig. 1 rods 18 have their upper ends pivotally connected to the levers 9 preferably at points midway between the fulcrum posts 10 and their'connections to the lifting bars 6, and to these suspended rods are connected one end of arms 19 and 20; the opposite ends of the arms are pivotally connected, one (19) to the standards8 and the other (20) to the lifting bars 6. 'Ihese arms pass through yokes 21, arms 20 bearing against the lower ends of the yokes, while the upper arms 19 bear against movable blocks 22 arranged in said yokes, and between the block and adjustable cross heads 23 are interposed springs 24 as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. As in this construction the ends of the arms 19 connected to standards 8 are stationary, the springs will exert an upward pull on the arms 20 and through th'ese arms on the' lifting bars 6 and platen 1. For operation, the tension of the s rings 24 will be so adjusted as .to cause tie top sheet of a pile arranged on the platen tobear with a certain predetermined pressure on a plurality of discs arranged on'a shaft 25l whichhas its ends mounted in roller bearing boxes 26 adjustably mounted in slots in the sides 8 of the machine, as shown in Fig. 3. As is well known, the force exerted by a spring under compression will vary proportional to the expansion of the spring, hence in the construction shown, the removal of a sheet from the top of a pile will permit of an elongation of the springs pro ortional to the thickness of the sheet and t e force eX- erted by the springs 24 will be pro can be varied by ad'usting the tension of the springs or by shifting the yolres along the arms 19 and 20. This can be conveniently effected by rods 24 having threaded portions engaging threaded openings in blocks 24 movably mounted in the yokes. In order to ensure uniform adjustment of the yolres, a sprocket chain 24C is passed around sprocket wheels 21d on the respective rods 24".

The progressive movements of a sheet up from a pile and transversely thereof, is effected by a plurality of devices ada ted to detachably engage top sheet of a pi e, and having such movements that the front edge of the sheet will be pulled upwardly, the sheet moved edgewise and during such edgewise or horizontal movement successive por tions of the sheet are moved up from the pile. In the construction shown herein the devices employed for engaging the sheet consist of cups 27 formed of flexible resilient material as rubber, and having cavities in the faces and adapted to contact with the sheet, so that when the cups or suckers are pressed against the surfaces of a sheet, air or liquid will be forced partiallyT or entirely from these cavities and the cups or suckers will adhere to the sheet, (see Fig. 6). 'l` he cups or suckers are secured to the periphery of a drum 271 in rows peripherally of the drum, but "referably with the suckers in one row longitudinally of the drum in staggered relation to those in adjoining rows, as shown in Fig. 5 or as shown in Fig. 5*. The journals of this drum are mounted in boxes 28, slidably mounted in suitable bearings 29 on the frame of the machine. T he drum is so arranged in the rear of the holding discs 25 and in such relation to the top sheet of the pile that the cups or suckers will he flattened and the edges thereof will bear uniformly against the surface of the sheet. when the axes of the cups coincide with a vertical plane coincident with the axis of the drum. And further, the drum has such a position relative horizontally to the front end of the pilewhen in position on the platen, that the engagement of the cups or suckers with the sheet, will be completed in the manner above stated a short distance from the front. end of the sheet as shown 'in Figure 17. While the pile of sheets may he placed directly on the platen, it is preferred to place it on a slide adapted to be shifted on the platen until the front end of the pile bears against an abutment so located that the front end of the pile will be a short distance in front of a vertical plane coincident with the axis of the drum when in normal position. Although the abutment can be stationary, it is preferable to rotate same since such rotary surface offers less resistance to the sheets being slid along its surfaces. This rotating abutment is preferably constructed for reasons hereinafter stated in the form of a head 3Q (see .Figures 8, 9,' and 10,) secured on the upper end of a vertical shaft 31 which extends down through a tubular column 32, projecting upwardly through the bottom of the tank 2 and is ypreferably rotated by suitable gearing indlcated at 33, as when rotated there will be less resistance to the movement of the sheet when lifted as hereinafter described. As shown in Figure 9, the1 column extends above the lower edge of a curtain 34 on the head, thereby forming an air ocket which will prevent water from flowingupy to the open upper end of the column. A flange 35 is formed on the column and is provided 'with posts 36.v vThe posts are so" arranged with reference to the head so that a small portion of the periphl ery of the head will project beyond the osts and contact with the front ends/of the s ee-t in thel pile. The purpose of the posts is to prevent the sheets assuming an angular position relative to the direction in which they are to be fed.

j lVhen a line of suckers is brought by the rotation of the drum to the position where they grip the sheet, as above stated, they will tend to move the top sheet forward but as such movement will be prevented bythe abutment or head, the drum will be moved a short distance to the'left, see Figs. 2, 6` and 17, its journals being mounted in movable boxes 28 yieldingly held in normal positionby springs 37 on the rods 38 connected to the boxes 28, said springs bearing at one end against the guide frame 29 and at their opposite ends against collars on the rods 38. In order to ensure equal movements of the ends of the drum 27 sleeves 39 fitting loosely on the journals of the drum are connected to the ends of the legs of a U-shape frame 40 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 41 having its ends secured in the sides of the frame of the machine.

As hereinbefore stated, a line of suckers ywill grip the to sheet as the reach a vertical plane passing through t e axis of the drum andiare therefore in their lowest positionsr and hence when the drum moves back, or rolls to the left, on the sheet, the suckers gripping the sheet will begin their upward movement and will Apull the front end of the sheetr above the wall of the head. As soon as the sheet is moved above the head the drum will be swung forward or to the right as shown in Figs. 2, 6, 18 and 19 bythe springs 37 and the continued rotation of the drum will vmove the sheet between guides whereby the sheetf is directedto the feed rollers 42 or other means whereby the sheets can be moved onward. /The lower guide bars 43 aref`- supported in an suitable manner preferably by securing their/lower ends to the posts 36 on flange 35 of the tubular column 32. The

upper guides consist of a plurality of pairsv of curved and rearwardly projecting fingers 44, and forwardly projecting fingers 44;

each pair of fingers 44 is secured to a bar l 45 and a finger 44; one for each pair 44 is also secured to' said bar. In operation the fingers 44 extend between adjacent peripheral rows of suckers. and rest on the pile of sheets. The upper ends of the bars 45 ex-v tend up vbetween plates 46 which extend across the machine and are supported on the sides of the frame of the machine, and the horizontal position of the fin ers relative to the drums are determined y swinging the bars on a shaft 48, passing through vertical slots on t-he bars 4'5by set screws 47 passing through the lates 46 and bearing against the upper en s of the,bars.

As before stated, the fingers 44 extend under thedrum 27a and between the periphr4eral rows of suckers, and are made of a width slightly less than (the vdistance the suckers project from the drum. The curvature of the fingers is such that as the sheet is'moved lon itudinally upward by the suckers; the edges of the fingers will exert a progressively increasing pressure on the sheets in a direction to release Ehem from the suckers. In order to facilitate the separationfof the sheets from` yhe suckers, provision is made for a gradua reduction of the vacuum under the suckers, either by roughening or b cutting small notches 49 in ,the edges of t e suckers 27 or forming minute holes 50' through the walls thereof as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. By properly proportioning the sizes of the notches or holes, the adherenc of theAv sheets maybe made very slight pr entirely destroyed by the time the suckers have reachedl the plane when the release of the `sheets is desired. As will be seen by referer/ice to Figs. 15, 15a, and 16 the degree of adhesion of thecup to sheets when submerged in"'watr, can be regulated by varying the level of the water in the tank. As for example, in Fig. 16 the level of the Water is such that when the cups 'are moved to position to adhere to. the sheet, a, considerable quantity of airV will be entrapped in the `cup and the adherence of the cup will be reduced in direct proportion to level of the water in the tank is such as to remove all air and the adherence `of the cups will reach a maximum value.

It is preferred that the suckers should be constructed'and connected to the drum so that the sheet ma be moved shoit distances from the drum w ile engaged or gripped by the suckers. As for example, the suckers can be made of rubber land provided with rubber stems '27 engagedby thimblesg27 screwing into threaded `holes formedjin the periphery of the drum, as shown in Fig. 6. The construction of the suckers will permit.-

the volume of airjentrapped. In F ig. 15 the of bending the sheets transversely by so setting the fingers All that the edges contacting with the sheets will be in different positions relative to the arcs of circles in which the suckers move while engaging the sheets, as shown in Figs. 19. and 13. As for example, if the outside pairs a of fingers have a certain position, and the pairs Z be adjusted so that the edges will be a little further from the drum, the sheet will be bent transversely, and such flexure will, in case a sheet should adhele to the underside of the sheet being fed, effect the release of the under sheet. Such release of an adhering sheet may be effected by imparting movements to adjoining pairs of lingers. except the outside pairs which would be held in normal position. The pairs of fingers adjacent to the outer pair would be reciprocated back and forth relative to normal position a short distance, e. g., one-eighth of an inch, and the remaining pairs would be reciprocated a little greater distance, e. g., one-fourth of an inch. By this reciprocation the top sheet would be curved from side to side, tirst in one direction and then in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. 13. These movements of the top sheet can be effected by substituting rotating eccentrics 51 for the setscrews 47 as shown in Fig. 1l.

In order that the relative peripheral speeds of the druln QT and the feed rollers should be maintained, it is preferred that the shaft 52 which is provided with a worm 53 engaging a worm-wheel on the journal of the drum, should be provided with a beveled pinion engaging a correspondingly shaped pinion on the shaft of one of the feed rollers.

In order to assist in the separation of t-he top sheet from the underlying sheet, it is preferred to direct jets of water under high pressure against the front ends of the sheets. To this end brackets consisting of a base plate 55 and nozzles 5G are adjustably Secured to the front wall of the tank l so that the nozzles project rearwardly to points closely adjacent to the front ends of the pile when in position on the platen. It is preferred that the discharge openings of the nozzles should be elongated vertically. The employment of the jets ot' water against the edges of the sheets will have a separating action and when the front ends of the top sheet are lifted water will be forced backwardly between the top and next adjacent sheet and the former, when removed longitudinally, will move on a film of water.

'hen eniploying this mechanism for feeding sheets to tinning machines, the piles of sheets are kept submerged in the water in the tank, the water being supplied thereto either through tne nozzles 56 or in any other suitable manner. In order to maintain the proper level of water in the tank, a suitable overflow is employed, such for example as that shown in Figs. 4 and 11. A pipe 57 extends up through the bottom of the tank and is connected to a shell 58, having its upper portion enlarged and internally threaded below the enlargement for engagement with the. externally threaded portion of nipple 59, such construction permitting ot the vertical adjustment of the nipple. The enlarged upper portion of the shell is provided with inlet ports (S0 connnunicating with the tank. The nipple 59 is so constructed at a point above the level of the ports (l0 as to permit the flow of water from the shell into and down through the nipple, shell, and waste pipe 57. In the construction shown. the upper end otl the nipple is constructed to be engaged by a tool 61 to turn the nipple and change the position of ports in the nipple relative to the bottom of the tank. In order to prevent to a great extent at least, the accumulation of dirt at the bottom of the tank, it is preferred to connect the. ports G0 in the shell to pipes 63 extending down to points adjacent. to the bottom of the tank.

In lieu of employing cups or suckers adapted to adhere to the sheets by the later displacement of fluid in the cups, as hcreinbcfore described, the suckers may be formed with passages formed axially of their stems and communicating with the interior of the drum, as shown in Figs. 2O and 21. The drum is provided with hollow journals 64, which are adapted to be mounted in the boxes 28. Through the journals is passed a stationary shaft (i5 having an axial passage 66 and radial ports (3T extending therefrom. A U-shaped box (i8 so arranged within thedrum as to enclose the ported portion of the shaft (i5 and the edges of its open side bear on the inner surface of the drum. The box is keyed to the shaft to prevent its being moved by the drum in its rotation. The passage in the shaft is connected to a suitable means for maintaining a sufficient vacuum within the box to ensure the adherence of the cups or suckers to the sheet. The box is so arrarr ed that when a line ot' suckers reaches a position where the axes of the suckers coincide with a vertical plane coincident with the axis of the drum, the axial passages of the discs will pass within the box and the cups caused to adhere to the sheets. The opposite. wall of the box is so located that the axial passages of the cups will pass out of the box when the cups have reached points at which the sheet should he released.

In lieu of effecting the initial vertical movement of the front end of the top sheet by a backward movement of the drum carrying the suckers as hereinbefore described, such initial vertical movement of the sheet can be effected by causing the suckers to lll] move radially immediately after they have vance of the sheet until its front end is taken a grip on the top sheet as shown in raised. By adjusting the pressure on the Fig. 22. The discs or suckers 27 are secured rolls 25 the sheets are engaged at a*l oint to sleeves 69 slidably' arranged in thimbles ahead of the drum and held from 1ong1tudi- 70 screwing into recesses 7l formed inthe nal movement until the front end is raised. periphery of the drum and having ports 72 lVe claim herein as our invention:

opening into the interior of the drum; with- `l. A sheet feeding machine having in in the drum is arranged a box 7 3 in which is coinbin'ation a support, a rotatable and lat-1 maintained a vacuum as described in conelally moving drum provided with a plunection with the construction shown in Figs. 'l'illfy 0f' CleViCeS adapted t0 engage the .IS 20 and 21. As in the rotation of the druma or outer sheet of, a pile resting on the Supline of ports 72 are brought into communicaport, an abutment for preventing cdgWiSQ tion with the box 73, the discs will be caused movement of the outer sheet of the pile whenV to adhere to the top sheet and the sleeves in normal position on the pile and yielding 69 with their suckers will move radially moans for holding the drum in normal polifting the front end of the top sheet. Sitioli laterally. After the suckers engage the sheet the lat- 2A sheet feeding machine having -in ter will move along with the Sucker, The \combination a rotatable drum provided with path of movement of the sucker when in ena plurality of sheet-engaging devices .argagement with the Sheet is indicated by dotranged in vertical rows, a plurality of verted line Vhen the suckers have reachedfcally and longitudinally movable guide points at which the sheet should be released fingers extending in between adjacent I'OWS the ports pass beyond the box and the sleeves of the Sheet-engaging devices, said ngers and suckers will vbe pushed out to their norboing adapted to force a sheet from engagemal positions by springs 74. ment with the sheet-engaging devices at a It will be understood that the improved predetermined point in the paths of movefeeding mechanism as shown and described ment 0f SllCli dViCS l as feeding sheets to tin pots, such mecha- 3. A sheet feeding machine having in nism can be employedin feeding sheets gencombination a rotatable drum provided with erally` and while advantage is taken of the a plurality of suckers whereby sheets may be necessity of maintaining the `sheets when raised andmoved edgewise, a support for a bein fed to a tin pot tok ensure a vacuum pile of sheetslocated below the drum, an within the cups, the passing of the cups abutment for determining the position f through a liquid as they are brought into the pile of sheets on the support and so Contact with a sheet is not necessary as air arranged with reference to the'orbits of the would be forced from the cups by compresssuckers on the drum that the latter will enling the same when their edges are in contact gage the sheets short distances from the with the sheet. abutment.

As hereinbefore stated the pile of sheets ,4. A sheet feeding machine having in are drawn u against the discs 25 by the combination a tank, means for supplying balance weig t 11 and the pressure thus water to the tak, a support for a pile of exerted will present certain resistance to the sheets arranged in said tank, a rotatable sliding of the top sheet by the drum. By drum provided with a plurality of suckers, increasing the pressure, this resistance can the drum bein so arranged with reference be made sufficient to overcome the normal to the tank tat the suckers will be imtension of the springs 37 and the drum will mersed in the Water contained in the vtank be moved to the left, increasing the tension as they are moved into engagement with the of the springs 37 to a point where such tenfirst or outer sheet of the pile, and means sion will be greater than the friction befor moving the support upwardly after a tween the top sheet and the next adjacent sheet has been withdrawn from the pile. sheet of the pile, whereupon the drum will 5. A sheet feeding machine 'having in be pulled to right carrying the to sheet combination a tank, means for supplying with it. `During the swlng of the dliumto water to the tank, a support for a pile of thel left as above described, the front end of sheets arranged in said tank, a rotatable the top sheet will be lifted against the guide drum provided with a plurality .of suckers, fin ers. the drum being-.so arranged with reference rom' the foregoing it will be clear that .to the tank that the suckers will be imby suitably ad'usting the pressure against mersed in the water contained inthe tank the rolls 25 `relative to the tension of the as they are moved intoengagement with springs 37, the swinging ofthe drum, wherethe firstr or outer sheet of the "pile, Aand by the front end of the sheetwill be raised `'means for moving thev support upwardly prior to longitudinal movement ofthe sheet, iafter a sheet has been withdrawn from the can be effected without the employment of pile, and means for maintainin a predeterthe head 30. When employing the head 30, mined level of Water in the tank. the latter forms a stop to prevent the ad- 6. A sheet feeding machine having n combination a tank or support for a pile of sheets arranged in the tank, a rotatable drum provided with a lurality of suckers and so located with re erence to the tank that the suckers will be immersed in the water in the tank as they are moved into engagement with the top sheet of the pile, means for moving the support upwardly after a sheet has been withdrawn from the pile and nozzle so located as to direct streams of water under pressure against the front side of the pile of sheets and means for maintaining a predetermined level of water in the tank.

7. In a sheet feeding machine, a rotatable drum provided with a pl'uralit of cups or suckers formed of flexible resilient material adapted to be flattened when forced into contact with the sheet and means for permitting a slow continuous flow of air into the cups or suckers.

8. A sheet feeding machine, having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment for determining the position of a pile of sheets on the support, a rotatable drum provided with a plurality of devices adapted to engage the first or outer sheet of the ile, bearin boxes for the journals of the rum mova le relative to the abutment, and means permittingl the movement of said boxes and returning t e same to normal position.

9. A sheet feeding machine having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment for determining the position of the front of the pile, means for engaging the top sheet of the pile adjacent to the abutment, and means for moving said engaging means in the are of a circle, said abutment extending beyond the outer sheet of the pile during the removal of the outer sheet from the pile.

10. A sheet feeding machine having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment for determining the position of the front of the ile, means for engaging the top sheet of t e pile adjacent to the abutment, means for moving said engaging means to remove the top sheet from the pile, said abutment extending beyond the outer sheet of the pile during the removal of the outer sheet Jfrom the pile, and means for moving the sheet-enga ing face ofthe abutment in the plane of t e top sheet.

11. A sheet feeding machine having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment against which the edges of the sheets bear, said abutment extending beyond the outer face of the pile during the removal of the outer sheet from the pile, means for engaging the top sheet of the pile and movingI its abutment-bearing edge beyond the abutment, and means for moving the sheetengagingyface of the abutment in the plane of the top sheet during the removal of the top sheet from the pile.

12. A sheet feeding machine having iu combination a support for a pile of sheets, a cylindrical abutment against which the edges of the sheets bear and which has its axis substantially per endicular to the planes of the sheets, said a utment extending heyond the outer face of the pile during thc removal of the outer sheet from the pile, means for engagin the top sheet of the pile and movin its a utmcnt-bearing edge be yond the autment, and means for rotating said abutment during the removal of the top -sheet from the pile.

13. A sheet feeding machine having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment against which the edges of the sheets bear, said abutment extending beyond the outer face of the pile during the removal 0f the outer sheet from the pile, means for engaging the top sheet of the pile, means for moving said sheet-engaging means in the are of a circle, and means for moving the sheet-engaging face of the abutment in the plane of the top sheet during the removal of the top sheet from the pile.

14. A sheet feeding machine having in combination a support for a pile of sheets, a cylindrical abutment against which the edges of the sheets bear and which has its axis substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets, said abutment extending eyond the outer face of the pile during the removal of the outer sheet from the pile, means for engaging the top sheet of the pile, means for moving the said sheet-engaging means in the arc of a circle, and means for rotating said abutment during the removal of the top sheet from the pile.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

SAMUEL E. DIESCHER. AUGUST P. DIESCHER. 

